Skype coaching session 27 April 2014, UTC 14:00, BST 15:00. The following 2 games were examined, the main game (50 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. White: Robin van Kempen, 2590. Black: Mark Hebden, 2545. Event: Batavia 2012. Result: 0-1 in 19 moves. Opening: Ruy Lopez, Marshall Gambit, C84. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3 Bb7 9. d3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Qd6 13. Re1 c5 14. Nd2 Rae8 | Black wishes to avoid a possible rook exchange down the a-file. However, there is a more subtle reason for the a8 rook heading to the centre, which will show itself soon. Beware of x-ray attacks, no matter how many units are in between. || 15. Ne4 Qc6 16. a4 Nb6 17. axb5 axb5 18. Qf3 | Black is about to close the a2-g8 diagonal with, pawn c4, meaning the black f-pawn can advance with, f5, and the pinned white knight can not move as black will have, Qxg2 mate. So, it seems white must play, 18. f3, to blunt the black attack down the long diagonal. || 18. ... c4 19. Ra7 | White knows about the b3 bishop, but is setting up some tactics. || 19. ... cxb3 White resigns, 0-1 | So, where were the predicted tactics? This is not just a simple piece attack being overlooked, it is slightly more complex. White was hoping for, 20. Rxb7 Qxb7, and now the black queen is a target to, 21. Nf6+ Bxf6 22. Qxb7. However after, 22. ... Rxe1+ 23. Kh2 Rxc1 24. Qxb6 cxb2, white has no way to both protect the b2 pawn and prevent the black c-pawn from promoting. Instead, altering the move order of the captures with, 20. Rxb7 Qxb7 21. Nf6+ Bxf6 22. Rxe8 Qxf3 24. Rxf8+ Kxf8 25. gxf3 cxb2, does not help, white is a piece down. The opposing rooks down the e-file were in a mutual x-ray attack. There were 2 pieces between them, but these quickly moved off the file, leaving white without time to trade rooks down the file. || * * * Annotated game. White: Adriana Nikolova, 2330. Black: Dorian Rogozenko, 2520. Event: European Individual Championship, 2012. Result: 0-1 in 50 moves. Opening: Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation, B96. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 h6 | A sideline, designed to push the white dark square bishop to a location which white would not normally choose. It also leaves the white f4 pawn undefended, not an problem as such but might count a little later, depending on how white responds. || 8. Bh4 Qb6 9. a3 | Avoiding the sharp and critical lines. Instead, 9. Qd3, seems to enter into a battle of theory where one slip from either side can result in a lost game. The quieter, 9. Nb3, allows black to exploit the shuffle of the white bishop to the h4 square with, 9. ... Qe3+, winning the f4 pawn. Warning: Anyone thinking this is a clear win of a pawn should think again, it is risky and should not be taken without serious study before including in the repertoire. With, 9. a3, white has set a trap for black, if, 9. ... Qxb2 10. Na4, traps the black queen as the usual escape square of, a3, is no longer available. || 9. ... Be7 10. Bf2 Qc7 11. Qe2 | Aiming for quick queenside castling. The light square bishop on f1 can remain at home for a while, but sooner or later must get off the back rank. More popular is 10. Qf3. || 11. ... Nc6 12. O-O-O e5 | Black sorts out the centre, any ideas of white making a central break are ruled out. || 13. Nf5 Bxf5 14. exf5 exf4 | Paradoxical. Firstly, it goes against all logic to open the e-file, but white can not exploit it. Secondly, this isolates the black d-pawn, but again, white can not easily attack it. As will be revealed, black has some ambitious ideas for this pawn. || 15. Qf3 d5 | Protecting the black f4 pawn, courtesy of the queen on c7. Black has no ideas of trying to keep this pawn, but instead chooses to make it awkward for white to regain it. || 16. Bh4 | White is planning to capture, Bxf6, followed by, Nxd5, an excellent post for the white knight. Black is not going to let this happen without a fight. || 16. ... Qb6 | Anticipating the white threat of, Bxf6, which will be met with, Bxf6, which pins the white c3 knight to the b2 pawn, and so indirectly protects the isolated and unprotected black d5 pawn. || 17. Qxf4 O-O | Now we should sit back and enjoy the opposite wing attack, involving advancing pawns, shouldn't we? Not Quite, black shows us there is more than one way to play an opposite wing castled middlegame. || 18. g4 d4 | White has a lead in the pawn race, so black hits in the centre, being prepared to lose the isolated d-pawn if necessary. It is going to be piece activity which is going to be the name of the black game now. || 19. Bf2 Qa5 | Now black is placing pressure on the dark squares of the white queenside, yet again the queen has shuffled slightly, and again creating a few problems for white to solve. || 20. Bxd4 Rad8 21. h4 | A double purpose move. The pawn storm is obvious, but more subtle was the potential threat of the black bishop landing on the g5 square needing to be prevented, which would have pinned the white queen to the king. || 21. ... Nxd4 22. Rxd4 Rxd4 23. Qxd4 Rd8 | Black now has control of the d-file, which combines nicely with the dark square threats in front of the white king. The undeveloped white kingside is becoming an important factor, had white been able to find the time to push, pawn g5, matters would be different. || 24. Qe3 Nd5 | Now all 4 black pieces are working harmoniously, the white piece coordination is virtually non-existent. Such a contrast indicates black is close to having a decisive advantage. || 25. Qe1 | White can not relieve the pressure with, 25. Nxd5 Qxd5, black creates twin threats of, Qxh1, and, Qd1 mate. These threats will cost white the bishop, as Bg2, is the cheapest way to evade both attacks. || 25. Qe1 Bxa3 | Tactics flow from a superior position. Blac should avoid, 25. ... Nxc3, as white does not have to recapture yet, as the black c3 knight would be pinned to the a5 queen. || 26. Rh3 Bb4 27. Kb1 | Black was threatening, Qa1 mate. || 27. ... Rc8 | Now the pressure on the c3 knight is unbearable. Black is threatening a potential mate with, 28. ... Nxc3+ 29. bxc3 Bxc3, with, Qa1 mate to follow, so white must give away an exchange with, 30. Rxc3, but this is only a slower loss for white. || 28. Nxd5 The best way to extend the game, but white will find it impossible to create a permanent blockade with the pieces against the black forces. || 28. ... Bxe1 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nxc8 | A rook and knight for a queen is not normally enough to hold equality. Also white can not coordinate the minor pieces to attack the black king. The advanced pawns on the kingside, pushed forward as part of earlier line-opening strategy, will now become weak. Finally, the opposite bishops in the position can not reduce the activity of the other, which means whoever is attacking is playing with an unchallengeable bishop. || 30. ... Bxh4 | The sting in the tail, now black will be able to create at least one passed pawn on the kingside, and could have more than that. || 31. Bg2 | If, 31. Rxh4 Qe1+, wins the white rook. || 31. ... Qe5 | Centralising the queen in an open position maximises the possibilities for black while keeping the same protective tactic for the h4 bishop. The scattered white pieces must start working with each other soon, though the first priority for white should be to ensure any unprotected pieces are not going to be caught by the black queen, the knight on c8 is a target for being trapped without a flight square. || 32. Rc3 Qh2 33. Bxb7 | Playing for activity is a better test of black. Instead, trying to hold the position with, 33. Bf3, will allow black to play actively on the queenside, beginning with, 33. ... Bf6, combined with re-centralising the queen and pushing the queenside pawns. White will struggle to find satisfactory means of preventing a dark square invasion. At the right point, black will also create a passed pawn on the kingside, leaving white with threats on both side of the board to meet, very difficult. There is also the black plan of, pawn b5, and if the white rook is not on the c-file, then, Qc7, traps the stranded white knight. || 33. ... Bf6 34. Rb3 Qg1+ 35. Ka2 Qxg4 | The black kingside pawns are starting the race first. Also, if the white queenside pawns start advancing, then opportunities for the black queen and bishop to invade on the dark squares will arise. || 36. Nb6 Qxf5 37. c4 Qa5+ | Protecting the a6 pawn, keeping the white activity to the minimum. Why give the opponent counterplay unnecessarily? || 38. Kb1 Bd4 39. Nd5 g5 40. Rd3 Qe1+ 41. Ka2 Qf2 | An annoying attack against the b2 pawn costs white another few moves without making any queenside progress. || 42. Nc3 Bxc3 43. Rxc3 Qc5 | Important point here. Black must lockade the potentially dangerous passed c-pawn which is backed up by the white rook. Now white must take more time to dislodge the black queen, allowing black more kingside advances. || 44. Bxa6 g4 45. Rd3 h5 46. Kb3 | If, 46. Rd5 Qa7, pins the white bishop, forcing, 47. Ra5, and the black pawns keep moving. || 46. ... h4 47. Ka4 g3 48. b4 Qa7 | Keeping control of the g1 promotion square, the black g-pawn is soon going to cost white a rook. || 49. Ka5 g2 50. Rd8+ Ke7 White resigns, 0-1 | If, 51. Rg8 g1=Q 52. Rxg1 Qxg1, white has to advance both pawns in order to get one of them passed the control of the black queen, just too slow. Also, the black king can head to the queenside to stop the white pawns. || * * * Unannotated game. White: Adriana Nikolova, 2330. Black: Dorian Rogozenko, 2520. Event: European Individual Championship, 2012. Result: 0-1 in 50 moves. Opening: Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation, B96. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 h6 8. Bh4 Qb6 9. a3 Be7 10. Bf2 Qc7 11. Qe2 Nc6 12. O-O-O e5 13. Nf5 Bxf5 14. exf5 exf4 15. Qf3 d5 16. Bh4 Qb6 17. Qxf4 O-O 18. g4 d4 19. Bf2 Qa5 20. Bxd4 Rad8 21. h4 Nxd4 22. Rxd4 Rxd4 23. Qxd4 Rd8 24. Qe3 Nd5 25. Qe1 Bxa3 26. Rh3 Bb4 27. Kb1 Rc8 28. Nxd5 Bxe1 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nxc8 Bxh4 31. Bg2 Qe5 32. Rc3 Qh2 33. Bxb7 Bf6 34. Rb3 Qg1+ 35. Ka2 Qxg4 36. Nb6 Qxf5 37. c4 Qa5+ 38. Kb1 Bd4 39. Nd5 g5 40. Rd3 Qe1+ 41. Ka2 Qf2 42. Nc3 Bxc3 43. Rxc3 Qc5 44. Bxa6 g4 45. Rd3 h5 46. Kb3 h4 47. Ka4 g3 48. b4 Qa7 49. Ka5 g2 50. Rd8+ Ke7 White resigns, 0-1 * * *